Suspect who confessed to girl's murder has been clearedGOSNELL (AP) — Prosecutors say 18-year-old Christopher Sowell is no longer a suspect in the murder of 11-year-old Jessica Williams. The Jonesboro Sun reported that DNA evidence presented to prosecutors indicates the 18-year-old was not involved in the girl's murder. The murder charge against Sowell was dropped on Feb. 11. Williams was found dead in a waterway near Big Lake in rural Mississippi County in 2013. The newspaper reports that Sowell ...

House supports repeal of fluoridation requirementLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas water providers could opt-out of providing cavity-fighting fluoride under a bill passed by the state House. Members voted 60-34 Thursday and sent to the Senate a bill to roll back a 2011 law requiring municipalities, rural water systems and other providers that serve more than 5,000 residents to put fluoride in the water supply. The state Department of Health and Arkansas Children's Hospital oppose the bill. Opponen...

Senate gives final OK to computer science classesLITTLE ROCK (AP) — The Arkansas Senate has given final approval to a bill that would direct all high schools in the state to offer a class in computer science. The bill passed on a 32-0 vote Thursday and gives Gov. Asa Hutchinson another legislative victory. He had promoted high school computer science courses since early in his gubernatorial campaign last year. Hutchinson said he was pleased and that he was hopeful Arkansas would be a nationa...

3 suspects in custody, face moonshine and meth chargesMURFREESBORO (AP) — Authorities say three people who allegedly made moonshine whiskey and methamphetamine are in Pike County jail pending their first court appearance. The Texarkana Gazette reported three suspects were taken into custody on Feb. 11 after a moonshine still was found under their kitchen sink. Chief Deputy Sheriff David Shelby stopped the suspect's vehicle for expired tags when he noticed that the suspects seemed nervous. A searc...

Lawsuit that claimed excessive force by police dismissedLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit that alleging four policemen, including former Little Rock police officer Josh Hastings, used excessive force while conducting an arrest. Cedric McSwain's claimed that Hastings, Sherwood police officer Kevin Webb, and Arkansas State Police Troopers Hunter Glover and Brad Lann beat him when he was walking home from a birthday party. He also said the officers conspired to arrest him even...

Lawyers to judge: Allow Arkansas gay marriages to resumeLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Lawyers for gay couples challenging Arkansas' voter-approved same-sex marriage ban told a federal judge Wednesday she should allow such nuptials to resume in the state. Citing recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions not to delay similar cases from other states, the Arkansas lawyers told Judge Kristine Baker that couples are suffering continuing harm by not being allowed to marry. They said that after a ruling against anti-gay-ma...

House panel supports disbanding lottery commissionLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas lawmakers are ready to scratch the lottery commission from the list of state decision makers. A bill to shift responsibility for Arkansas' struggling lottery from the independent nine-member commission to a governor appointee cleared a committee Wednesday. No member of the House Rules Committee voted against the measure and no one spoke against it. If the bill becomes law, the state Department of Finance and Adminis...

Feds say Wal-Mart was biased against lesbiansBOSTON (AP) — A federal agency says Wal-Mart discriminated against a lesbian employee who sought health coverage for her ailing wife and has ordered "a just resolution" for violating her civil rights. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ordered the retail giant to work with Jacqueline Cote of New Bedford, Massachusetts, who hopes the determination will help her pay off $100,000 in medical bills. In a Jan. 29 EEOC ruling, obtained ...

Hutchinson outlines $33M plan to ease prison overcrowdingLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Wednesday proposed tapping more than $33 million in state reserve funds to ease a backlog of state inmates at county jails by opening new prison space, hiring additional parole officers and expanding alternative sentencing programs. The Republican governor said the plan would open 790 new beds, including 288 at a county jail Arkansas would contract with in neighboring Texas, for the more than ...

House endorses African-style hair braiding billLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas House members have supported a bill to exempt African-style hair braiders from the state's cosmetology laws and end a federal court lawsuit against the state. Lawmakers voted 86-3 on Wednesday in support of the change. People who braid and weave hair are currently held to the same standards as those who cut or process it with chemicals. Braiders say required cosmetology courses don't cover their craft and can cost u...

Man charged in Conway officer's death died of pneumoniaCONWAY (AP) — Authorities say pneumonia resulting from mixed drug intoxication killed a man charged in the 2013 traffic death of a Conway police officer. The Log Cabin Democrat reported Barry Strickland's death certificate says he had a mix of morphine, amphetamine, muscle relaxer, and anti-anxiety medications in his system when he was found dead at his parents' house in November. He was out on bond awaiting a December jury trial. Strickland w...

Thousands in Arkansas still without power after winter stormLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Dozens of schools across Arkansas remained closed and thousands are still without power following a winter storm that crossed the state. Schools statewide remained closed Wednesday after the storm that left roads icy and is blamed for at least one traffic death. Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas reports about 2,600 customers of South Central Arkansas Electric Cooperative were without power Wednesday morning — about 1,600 of ...

Boy, 14, critically injured after truck hits ATVTEXARKANA (AP) — A hospital spokeswoman says a 14-year-old boy remains in critical condition after his all-terrain vehicle collided with a pickup truck. The Texarkana Gazette reported Braden Hurt of Hope was driving the ATV on Sunday when it was hit by the truck while exiting a private road onto County Road 161 West. Authorities say the impact caused Hurt to be thrown from the ATV. The teenager was airlifted to the Arkansas Children's Hospital...

Melbourne teacher arrested after marijuana found in purseMELBOURNE (AP) — A north Arkansas teacher has been arrested after authorities say a drug dog found marijuana in her purse inside her classroom. Investigators say the Melbourne High School teacher knew the canine would be used to inspect vehicles in the school's parking lot. The Izard County Sheriff says it appears she removed about 27 bags of the drug from her son's car and stuffed them into her bag to protect him from the search. Deputies sea...

Running team honors fallen soldiersOZARK — A team of active duty and reserve airmen, soldiers, marines and Arkansas State Police will embark on a 146-mile memorial run to honor every Arkansas service member who died while serving our country since Sept. 11, 2001. The “Arkansas Run for the Fallen” will take off at 10 a.m. March 20 at the Ozark City Hall and finish at the Arkansas State Capitol on March 22. Runners will stop at various locations throughout Russellville every 10 m...

Proposal to end life without parole for juveniles tabledLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A proposal to end life without parole sentences for juveniles stalled before a legislative panel on Tuesday after facing heavy opposition from the state's prosecutors. The House Judiciary Committee tabled the proposal to amend Arkansas' sentencing laws to eliminate life without parole sentences for offenders who were younger than 18 when they committed their crimes. The legislation would apply retroactively to dozens of pris...

House supports shielding utility customer recordsLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas House members have given final approval to a measure to provide municipal power companies greater exemptions from public records requests. Lawmakers voted 90-0 Tuesday to protect cities from certain requests made under the state Freedom of Information Act. Any member of the public can currently request a customer's usage or personal information. Details about a power company's infrastructure are also open record. Pr...

Lawmaker calls for moving up Arkansas presidential primaryLITTLE ROCK (AP) — An Arkansas lawmaker is proposing moving the state's presidential primary from May to March as part of an effort to create a regional nominating contest among several Southern states. Republican Sen. Gary Stubblefield of Branch filed legislation Tuesday that would move the state's presidential primary in 2016 from May 17 to March 1. Several states have proposed moving their nominating contests to that day and create what the...

House rejects school district formation billLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A proposal to relax restrictions on creating new Arkansas school districts narrowly failed in the House. Lawmakers voted 49-25 on Tuesday to reject a proposal to lower the amount of students an upstart district needs to splinter from an existing one. The measure fell two votes shy of being approved. Republican Rep. Mark Lowery of Maumelle wants to lessen the requirement to 2,500 students. He said the move would allow Maumell...

Couples ask Arkansas court to allow gay marriages to resumeLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Couples challenging Arkansas' gay marriage ban asked the state's highest court on Tuesday to lift its stay in their lawsuit and allow clerks to resume issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Attorneys for the couples called on justices to set aside their stay of Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza's May ruling striking down a 2004 constitutional amendment and earlier state law defining marriage as between a man ...